There have been so many theories since it was revealed that Peter Ballard (Jamie Campbell Bower) is actually Hawkins serial killer Vecna. He was banished to the Upside Down by Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) sometime in 1979.
Needless to say that fans have been guessing how Peter's true background as Henry Creel is important to the overall story of season 4. Why does this monster care so much about terrorizing Hawkins, Indiana, anyway?
The answer could be hidden in the origins of Eleven.
A Redditor user u/OH1523 has theorized that Eleven’s father is none other than Henry Creel himself. First, let's find out the background of Vecna.
One Redditor u/SLGHammr suggests Henry Creel is actually the son of Dr. Brenner.
The theory suggests that his mother (Tyner Rushing) was having an affair with Dr. Brenner. He experimented on her mother while she was pregnant. They also suggest this affair between Dr. Brenner and Virginia Creel must have occurred while Victor was away during the war. It would explain why Dr. Brenner ultimately got custody of Henry after Victor is imprisoned.
This theory establishes a major family connection between Dr. Brenner, Henry, and Eleven.
Another Redditor u/OH1523 takes the hypothesis one step further: Henry is Eleven’s biological father, making Dr. Brenner and Virginia Creel her grandparents.
We know Henry was born in 1947 and had telekinetic powers growing up. The Creels family moved to Hawkins and settled close to a government laboratory headed by Dr. Brenner. After murdering his family, Henry went on to live out the rest of his life at Hawkins National Lab.
About 24 years later Eleven’s mother, Terry Ives, gets pregnant while staying at the laboratory at the same time as Henry. Jane is born in 1971 and was abducted soon thereafter by Dr. Brenner and renamed Eleven. The Redditor theorizes that Henry/One either seduced Terry during her time at the laboratory, or he psionically impregnated her. Later Henry becomes lab orderly Peter Ballard.
It means that Vecna is actually Eleven's father. In the last episode, Peter kills everyone at the lab except Eleven. Both these theories explain why Vecna wants to team up with Eleven. We might get the big reveal in episode 8 which is coincidently titled "Papa".
Also, Stranger Things has many references to the '80s. One of the most iconic moments in 80's cinema was the plot twist of Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes. If Vecna is Eleven's father, Eleven becomes the perfect Luke Skywalker who is searching for her father for the ultimate showdown between good and evil.
What are your views on the theory "Vecna is Eleven's father". Let us know in the comments section.
